Pan-Fried White Brined Cheese (Saganaki)
Photo: Tammy Green from Chicago, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
Saganaki is salty white cheese seared in a hot pan until it has a browned crust and a soft middle, and it takes about five minutes. The name comes from the small two-handled pan traditionally used to make it. In Greece it is served as a meze with a drink or at the start of a meal to wake up the appetite. Feta works, but kefalotyri and kasseri are the classic choices.
Instructions
Set a small frying pan over medium-high heat and let it warm up while you prepare the cheese.
Cut the cheese into slices of the size and thickness you like. Thick slices take longer to soften through and can burn before they do, while very thin ones have little chance to brown.
If you want a darker, slightly crisper crust, dredge the slices in flour. This step is optional, since the oil and high heat will give the cheese a faint crust anyway, but the flour also cuts down on spitting.
Pour the oil into the hot pan and swirl it around. When it shimmers and looks more fluid, it is ready.
Lay the cheese in the pan and step back, because the brine clinging to it will make the oil spit.
Turn the cheese after a minute or two. A slice about three quarters of a centimeter thick needs roughly 1 to 2 minutes per side.
Serve straight away with the lemon wedge for squeezing over, and bread alongside if you like.
Make it personal.
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